I am doing it back in Durham because it gives us an opportunity to give back to this community. When I was here playing in college this community was beneficial to me and helped me get to where I am today. I want to give these kids an opportunity to do something positive in their lives. The Emily K Center seemed like the perfect place because this is something that they do every day. They are always trying to help kids better themselves and better their lives. We just talked about joining forces and doing it together.
You just signed a two-year deal with the Knicks. What are your thoughts on that?
It is a blessing. I am very excited about it. Playing in Coach D’Antoni’s system I think will be beneficial to me because it is an uptempo style and he has a lot of trust in his point guards. I will be able to play more freely and do the things that will get us over the top and win more games. My expectations are high. I know they struggled last year so we will want to take it step-by-step and get better each year.
What was the free-agent process like for you?
It wasn’t too stressful. There were a lot of teams interested and by talking to them we were able to narrow it down. I visited New York and Orlando. Orlando made a great offer and that would have been a great situation for me as well. But I talked to Coach K, and we both thought that playing in Coach D’Antoni’s system and having the opportunity to be a starting point guard would be great for me. Also, playing in the city of New York in Madison Square Garden on the big stage — we both felt that would be the best situation.
You have played in Madison Square Garden quite a few times with Duke and then the Bulls. Do you have a favorite game?
Probably my favorite game was when we played Texas there my senior year. They were ranked in the top 10, we were ranked in the top 10, and we just played well the whole game. It was very exciting because you like playing that type of competition especially on the big stage at Madison Square Garden on ESPN where everyone is watching. For us to perform well and win that game was big.
You worked out at the K Center last night with our guys. What are your thoughts on the facility and how does it compare to NBA training centers you have seen?
It is better than a lot of facilities in the NBA. You can tell they put a lot of work and dedication into it. It ranks right there with the best because they have everything. They have the courts, the locker room, the weight room — everything is right there and accessible to you. It is a beautiful, beautiful facility. It probably would be the best of all the training facilities I have seen.
